I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 6

BLAIR, SURELY I NEED NOT REMIND YOU...

...THAT THE QUICKEST WAY FOR A WOMAN TO SECURE HER STANDING WITHIN HER HUSBAND’S FAMILY...

...IS TO GIVE HIM A SON.

AND AS YOUR BROTHER, LET ME OFFER YOU SOME ADVICE. YOU ARE FAR TOO... FRIGID.

IT IS FINE TO BEHAVE LIKE A PROPER LADY IN PUBLIC, BUT IN THE BEDROOM, A WOMAN MUST KNOW HOW TO BE A LITTLE MORE ALLURING IF SHE WISHES TO KEEP HER HUSBAND’S AFFECTION.

MOTHER WORRIES GREATLY ABOUT YOU.

THEN PLEASE ASSURE HER THERE IS NO NEED... I WILL MANAGE JUST FINE WHEREVER I GO.

MY GOODNESS...

JUST LOOK AT HER HIGHNESS. SHE LOOKS LIKE AN ANGEL SENT DOWN FROM THE HEAVENS!

SHE IS LIKE A FAIRY BORN FROM SNOW!

SHE IS MY BELOVED SISTER.

I TRUST YOU WILL CHERISH AND CARE FOR HER AS SHE DESERVES.

NATURALLY, YOUR MAJESTY. I SHALL HONOR YOUR WISHES.

AND SO, WITH THE EMPIRE'S BLESSING,

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE.

MAY YOUR UNION FOREVER BE BLESSED WITH LOVE AND PROSPERITY.

YOU MAY NOW SEAL YOUR VOWS WITH A KISS.

A SNOW FAIRY...

NO OTHER WORDS COULD BETTER DESCRIBE A WOMAN WITH SKIN AS FAIR AS FRESH SNOW.

I SUPPOSE THE PRAISE IS NOT ENTIRELY UNWARRANTED.

I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH FOR TODAY.

HONESTLY, HIS GRACE IS UNBELIEVABLE...

HOW DOES HE MANAGE TO GET THROUGH THIS MUCH PAPERWORK ALL THE--

Y-YOUR GRACE?!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE AT THIS HOUR?

THIS IS MY STUDY. DO I REQUIRE A REASON TO BE HERE?

N-NO, THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT...

IT’S JUST... TONIGHT’S YOUR WEDDING NIGHT.

YOU SEEM RATHER DISPLEASED TO SEE ME HERE.

OF COURSE I AM! I DON’T WANT TO BE STUCK ALONE IN A ROOM WITH MY SUPERIOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

ESPECIALLY NOT ONE WHO WAS MARRIED MERE HOURS AGO!

I FAIL TO SEE THE ISSUE.

A GROOM WHO CHOSE HIS STUDY AND SECRETARY OVER HIS BRIDE ON THE NIGHT OF HIS WEDDING

WE’LL BE LUCKY IF THIS DOESN’T SPARK SOME STRANGE RUMORS.

FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, I’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE CAN BE THIS OBSESSED WITH WORK!

IN ANY CASE, WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO NOW?

SHE CLAIMS SHE'LL FULLY COOPERATE IN RECOVERING HER MEMORIES OF THE INCIDENT FROM TEN YEARS AGO.

TRULY?

YES.

THOUGH I STILL CANNOT DETERMINE WHETHER HER MEMORY LOSS IS GENUINE...

OR MERELY AN ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE.

SO YOU DO NOT INTEND TO VISIT HER HIGHNESS TONIGHT?

SHE IS LIKELY ASLEEP BY NOW.

SOMEONE AS DELICATE AS HER MUST SURELY BE EXHAUSTED AFTER TODAY'S CEREMONIES.

AND IN ANY CASE, THIS MARRIAGE IS CONTRACTUAL. THERE IS NO REASON TO HUMOR POINTLESS TRADITIONS AND--

SO... YOU ARE GOING AFTER ALL, YOUR GRACE?

YES, I HAVE SUDDENLY GROWN CURIOUS ABOUT SOMETHING...

I WONDER WHAT EXPRESSION WILL CROSS THAT PORCELAIN-LIKE FACE OF HERS WHEN HER HUSBAND PAYS HER AN UNWANTED VISIT.

SHE TRULY IS SO PETITE...

THE ROOM WAS COLD AND SNOW CONTINUED TO PILE OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS.

AND SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL WAS A WOMAN AS PALE AS WINTER ITSELF.

I THOUGHT YOU'D HAVE GONE TO BED BY NOW.

WHY ARE YOU REACTING AS THOUGH YOU'VE SEEN A GHOST?

TONIGHT IS OUR WEDDING NIGHT.

YOUR GRACE... H-HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STANDING THERE?

IT'S ONLY NATURAL FOR A HUSBAND AND WIFE TO SPEND IT TOGETHER.

I WAS NOT EXPECTING YOU...

THEN WHY DID YOU WAIT UP FOR ME?

ONLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS A CHANCE YOU MIGHT COME...

IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PROPER FOR ME...

TO ALREADY BE SLEEPING WHEN YOUR GRACE... I MEAN, WHEN YOU RETURNED.

WHAT'S THIS?

THE TERMS OF OUR CONTRACT.

SINCE THIS MARRIAGE IS CONTRACTUAL IN NATURE, I BELIEVED IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE EVERYTHING DOCUMENTED PROPERLY.

CLAUSE ONE.

BLAIR SONNETTE VON ARDEL AGREES TO OFFER HER FULL COOPERATION IN UNCOVERING THE TRUTH BEHIND THE FIRE THAT OCCURRED AT THE EMPRESS'S PALACE TEN YEARS PRIOR.

HOWEVER, SHOULD THE TRUTH OF THE INCIDENT BE UNCOVERED BEFORE THAT TIME, THE CONTRACT SHALL BE DISSOLVED IMMEDIATELY REGARDLESS OF THE REMAINING TERM.

ANY TRUTHS THAT COME TO LIGHT SHALL BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO IMPERIAL LAW.

THIS MARRIAGE SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ONE YEAR.

CLAUSE TWO.

DURING THE TERM OF THIS CONTRACT, BOTH PARTIES SHALL RESPECT ONE ANOTHER AS HUSBAND AND WIFE.

FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS AGREEMENT...

"RESPECT" SHALL MEAN FULFILLING ONE'S MARITAL DUTIES WHILE PRESERVING THE OTHER PARTY'S DIGNITY AND PUBLIC STANDING.

THIS INCLUDES SHARING AT LEAST ONE MEAL TOGETHER PER WEEK AND ATTENDING IMPORTANT BANQUETS OR OFFICIAL EVENTS AS A MARRIED COUPLE.

PERHAPS I SHOULD NOT HAVE INCLUDED THAT PART...

I DIDN'T MEAN TO, BUT I MAY HAVE LET SOME RESENTMENT FROM MY PREVIOUS LIFE SLIP INTO IT.

AND IF I FAIL TO UPHOLD THE TERMS OF THIS CONTRACT? WHAT THEN?

WELL...

COME TO THINK OF IT, THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF CONSEQUENCE TO ENSURE HE KEEPS HIS END OF THE AGREEMENT.

IF YOU FAIL TO FOLLOW THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT...

YES?

I WON'T GRANT YOU A DIVORCE.

AH, I SEE.

DID HE... JUST LAUGH AT ME?

OR WAS THAT MERELY MY IMAGINATION?

SHOULD EITHER PARTY REQUEST TO SHARE A BED FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED REASONS,

THE SPOUSES SHALL FULFILL THEIR MARITAL OBLIGATIONS NO MORE THAN TWICE EACH MONTH...

SURELY WHEN YOU SPEAK OF "MARITAL OBLIGATIONS," YOU ARE NOT SUGGESTING WE MERELY SLEEP SIDE BY SIDE.

ARE YOU SAYING YOU INTEND TO PLAY THE ROLE OF MY LOVER AND WARM MY BED AT NIGHT?

DO NOT PUT IT THAT WAY!

I ONLY MEANT--

I JUST NEEDED A BELIEVABLE REASON TO SHARE HIS BED WHEN IT WAS TIME TO CONCEIVE ACIEL.

I SIMPLY WISHED FOR US TO MAINTAIN A CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP DURING THE COURSE OF OUR MARRIAGE...

A CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP, YOU SAY...?

THEN I SUPPOSE WE OUGHT TO FULFILL OUR MARITAL DUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS CLAUSE.

HE WISHES TO DO SO NOW?

I TRULY DID NOT EXPECT HIM TO BE THE ONE TAKING THE INITIATIVE...

STILL, WE DON'T HAVE TO CONSUMMATE THE MARRIAGE TONIGHT--

I WANT TO.

RIGHT NOW.